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NCT Number: NCT04523857

ABemacicliB or Abemaciclib and HydroxYchloroquine to Target Minimal Residual Disease in Breast Cancer

This is a Phase II randomized, controlled, open label breast cancer clinical trial. 66 patients will be enrolled. The drugs being studied are hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and abemaciclib (also Verzenio). This research study is testing whether using these drugs to target the disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow can reduce their number or eliminate them. Both hydroxychloroquine and abemaciclib are pills that will be taken twice daily. Both are approved by the FDA

Recruiting

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Amy Clark, MD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Lauren Bayne, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

215-615-2367

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Histologically-confirmed, primary, invasive breast cancer diagnosed within 5 years of entry into the companion DTC screening protocol UPCC 28115
  • Qualifying risk status, at diagnosis utilizing receptor testing by ASCO/CAP guidelines, meting at least one of the following:

(i) Lymph node involvement

a. Pathologically-confirmed positive axillary lymph nodes, regardless of receptors, or (b) Evidence of lymph node involvement by preoperative imaging AND fibrosis and/or treatment effect in lymph nodes after neoadjuvant therapy, regardless of receptor status (ii) Primary tumor that is ER/PR/Her2 negative: estrogen receptor (ER) < 10%, progesterone receptor (PR) < 10% and negative for Her2-overexpression by ASCO-CAP guidelines, regardless of lymph nodes status (iii) Primary tumor that is ER+/Her2 negative/Lymph node negative with Breast Cancer Recurrence Score of >/= 25 per the Genomic Health Oncotype DX breast cancer test and/or high risk MammaPrint (iv) Evidence of residual disease in the breast on pathologic assessment after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

  • Patients must have completed all primary therapy (definitive surgery, (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy adjuvant radiation and/or Her2-directed therapy) for the index malignancy at least 4 weeks prior to study entry. Prior treatment-related toxicity must be resolved or improving to Grade 1 with the exception of alopecia, Grade 2 endocrine disorders (e.g. adrenal insufficiency or thyroid disorders from prior immunotherapy) controlled on stable replacement therapy for > 1 year, and up to Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy, prior to study enrollment. Concurrent receipt of adjuvant endocrine and bone modifying agents is allowed per standard of care guidelines. Tamoxifen is not allowed due to drug-drug interactions with HCQ.
  • Bone marrow aspirate obtained via research trial UPCC 28115 after completion of therapy (except endocrine therapy) demonstrates detectable DTCs (via IHC)
  • No evidence of recurrent local or distant breast cancer by physical examination, blood tests (CBC, LFTs, Alk Phos), or imaging. Assessment for overt metastatic disease by radiologic testing per institutional guidelines (CT Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis, bone scan, MRI and/or PET/CT) will only be done in patients with DTCs detected on bone marrow aspirate who are being screened for this trial.
  • Age >/= 18 years
  • ECOG performance status =/< 2
  • Ability to swallow oral medications
  • No contraindications to the study medications or uncontrolled medical illness.
  • Adequate bone marrow function as shown by: ANC >/= 1.5 x 10^9/L, Platelets >/= 100 x 10^9/L, Hb >9 g/dL
  • Adequate liver function as shown by: Serum bilirubin </= 1.5 x ULN, ALT and AST </= 3.0 x ULN, and INR </=1.5
  • Adequate renal function: serum creatinine </= 1.5 x ULN
  • Adequate muscle function: creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) </= 2.5 x ULN
  • Anticoagulation is allowed if target INR =/< 1.5 on a stable dose of warfarin or on a stable dose of anticoagulant for >2 weeks at time of randomization
  • Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

  • Concurrent enrollment on another investigational therapy
  • Patient has received an experimental treatment in a clinical trial within the last 30 days or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, prior to randomization (or treatment assignment), or is currently enrolled in any other type of medical research (for example: medical device) judged by the sponsor not to be scientifically or medically compatible with this study.
  • Prior treatment with abemaciclib is not allowed. (Patients may have received prior CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy with an agent other than abemaciclib. Patients must have discontinued CDK4/6 inhibitor at least 6 months prior to screening.)
  • Known hypersensitivity to hydroxychloroquine or any of its derivatives
  • Prior hydroxychloroquine exposure for a duration of > 1 month since the completion of the patient's primary therapy (definitive surgery, (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant radiation, and/or Her2-directed therapy) for the index malignancy.
  • Patients with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer may not be receiving tamoxifen due to drug-drug interactions with hydroxychloroquine
  • Patients who have initiated bone modifying agents within 3 months prior to the start of study treatment
  • Patients who have had major surgery within 14 days prior to randomization (or treatment assignment)
  • Patients who have any severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions or other conditions that could affect their participation in the study
  • Female patients who are pregnant or breast feeding, or adults of reproductive potential who are not using effective birth control methods.
  • Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to the first dose of Abema

Treatment and study plan

Abemaciclib

Drug

Oral CDK4/6 inhibitor to target bone marrow disseminated tumor cells (DTCs)

Other names: Verzenio

Hydroxychloroquine

Drug

Oral autophagy inhibitor to target bone marrow disseminated tumor cells (DTCs)

Other names: Plaquenil

Primary outcomes

  1. Incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events during cycle 1 of the safety cohort (safety of combination HCQ + Abema)

    Time frame: Toxicity is assessed over the first cycle (4 weeks) of treatment

    Rate of protocol defined "severe toxicity" during cycle 1 (4 weeks) of combination HCQ 600mg BID and Abema (at 100 mg and 150 mg BID) in a safety cohort of 6 patients at each dose of Abema

  2. Change in bone marrow DTC number evaluated by DTC-IHC assay after 6 cycles of therapy compared to baseline (Efficacy of Abema +/- HCQ in eliminating bone marrow DTCs)

    Time frame: 6 cycles (approximately 6 months)

    Frequency of "clearance" of bone marrow DTCs by arm after 6 cycles of study treatment.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Lauren Bayne, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

215-615-2367

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Phase II Pilot Trial of ABemacicliB or Abemaciclib and HydroxYchloroquine to Target Minimal Residual Disease in Breast Cancer Patients ("ABBY")

Acronym: ABBY

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2028
First posted
Aug 24, 2020
Registry last updated
May 26, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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